The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast

Insights do more than just analyse what happened; they guide what to do next. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Brianna Boyer sit down with Leena Doshi, Senior Manager of Research at Electronic Arts (EA). Leena shares how she built and scaled research functions at EA and uShip, why trust and context are the real drivers of influence, and how framing problems as a puzzle...

The role of research is shifting from reactive validation to a proactive strategy. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Elana Marmorstein sit down with Adam Hagerman, whose career spans Apple, GLG, and Indeed, to explore how research can move beyond usability into usefulness, why Jobs-to-Be-Done reframes product growth, and what the next generation of insights professional...

How do subconscious drivers shape the way we shop for groceries? In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Julie Myers sit down with Dr. Hassan Aleem, Senior Consumer Insights Partner at Amazon, to explore how behavioral science and neuroscience help brands measure behavior in complex retail settings. From intercepts and shop-alongs to basket analysis and packaging cues, Hassan...

Consumer behavior is being reshaped by agentic AI, shifting economic realities, and the rise of non-traditional workforces. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Glenn Fleischman, sit down with Michael Nevski, Director of Global Insights at Visa, to explore how AI, affluent consumers, and the gig economy are influencing payment trends and brand strategy, his career journey,...

How do you prepare researchers not just to analyze data but to shape strategy and deliver ROI? In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Tiffany sit down with Marcus Cunha Jr., Professor of Marketing at the University of Georgia and Director of the MMR Program, to explore how graduate education is evolving in an era of AI, automation, and rapidly shifting consumer behavior.

The future of consumer insights hinges on striking a balance between innovation and respect for the individuals behind the data. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie sits down with Lev Mazin, CEO and Co-Founder of aytm, to explore how design thinking, integrated panels, automated analytics, and a respondent-first philosophy are reshaping research and preparing the industry for...

The boldest insights often come when people are willing to say what others won’t. In this Best Bits episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie share 10 unforgettable hot takes from past guests, from calling out the myth of the all-knowing CEO, to predicting the comeback of paper surveys, to reframing “sports hate” as a surprising form of connection. These best bits challenge how we...

The most valuable consumer insights often emerge when we’re willing to challenge our own assumptions and those of others. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Victoria sit down with Sarah Montgomery, Director of Human Insights at The Coca-Cola Company, to explore how the Socratic method can help researchers question ingrained beliefs, push beyond confirmation bias, and unc...

In this insightful episode, a seasoned market research expert shares valuable perspectives on maintaining mental health in high-pressure research environments while leveraging qualitative techniques to drive meaningful insights. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Raina Rusnak, Head of Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist and CEO of 750 Research, a...

Sports fandom is fundamentally about community building and social connections, serving as a powerful indicator of broader social engagement and consumer behavior. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Ben Valenta, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Fox Sports and co-author of "Fans Have More Friends," to explore how sports fandom creates meaningful social...

Serial entrepreneur Rand Fishkin shares candid insights on ethical business building, the future of audience research, and the reality behind AI hype. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie sit down with Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro and former CEO of Moz, to explore his journey from SEO pioneer to audience research innovator, while discussing the challenges of ethical...

The Future of Market Research Education: Balancing Technology with Human Skills. In this episode of the Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Don DeVeaux, Professor at Michigan State University's Masters of Science in Marketing Research program, about shaping the next generation of insights professionals. Drawing from his 17+ years each at General Motors and GfK, Don shares valuab...

How Data Science is Revolutionizing Customer Retention: Moving from Reactive Analytics to Predictive Strategy In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Subhasish Nanda, Director of Customer Insights and Analytics at Verizon, exploring how data science and customer analytics have evolved to drive retention strategies and shape customer experiences in the telecommunication...

AI is reshaping how businesses gather, analyze, and democratize consumer insights, while maintaining the critical role of human expertise and intervention. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Dave Ritter, Director of Insights and Consulting at Walmart, exploring how AI is transforming market research, consumer segmentation, and customer insights while disc...

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie speak with Louisea Hudson, Principal Customer Researcher at Amazon, about leveraging diverse thinking styles in research, the power of mixed methodologies, and how neurodivergence can enhance innovation and customer understanding.

A groundbreaking segmentation framework reveals how behavioral and emotional dimensions shape flavor preferences, going far beyond traditional demographic-based consumer insights. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie speak with Kim Duncan, Head of Consumer Insights at Givaudan, about FlavorFinders—a revolutionary segmentation framework that examines how consumers appr...

Ethnographic research emerges as a powerful tool for uncovering deep consumer insights, revealing the human stories and unexpected truths that drive successful brand strategies. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Lindsey Goodman, Consumer Insights Leader at Wolverine Worldwide, about how ethnographic research uncovers hidden consumer insights and drives i...

Building a successful insights function requires strategic listening, intentional relationship-building, and a clear vision for delivering value across the organization. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Ashley Hopkins, an insights leader who has built consumer research functions from scratch at companies like ASICS, Wayfair, and now Resident (home of Ne...

Building an Insights-Driven Culture: From Instinct to Evidence-Based Decision Making In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Leyla, a consumer insights leader who transformed JOOLA from an instinct-driven business into an insights powerhouse. The conversation explores how to build an insights function from scratch, embed research into company culture, and leve...

What does it take to build a truly customer-driven organization? In this episode, CX strategist Dr. Jeff Dahms joins The Curiosity Current to explore how market research, team culture, and smart data practices can turn insights into business impact.

How do you navigate the complexity of pharma research without losing strategic clarity? In this episode, Shawn McKenna, Senior Director of Analytics at Currax Pharmaceuticals, shares real-world lessons on team building, AI, and staying grounded in what truly matters: the human side of health insights.

What if up to 40% of your research data is bad—and you don’t even know it? In this episode, Roddy Knowles, COO of dtect and host of This is Product Management, joins The Curiosity Current to talk about the silent crisis facing the market research industry: survey fraud. From undercover operations in fraud networks to the rise of AI agents completing surveys, Roddy brings the heat—and the expertise...

How can we balance AI’s power with the human touch? In this episode, researcher and thought leader Idil Miriam Cakim joins The Curiosity Current to explore empathy, ethics, and innovation in AI-powered insights. From the value of storytelling to navigating AI adoption in the workplace, this is a must-listen for anyone navigating AI and insights with a human lens.

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie Vance and Matt Mahan welcome Doug Zarkin, Chief Brand Officer at Modern Performance and Recovery Brands and author of "Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone.

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie sit down with Tanya Pinto, Principal UX Researcher at Microsoft focused on Copilot AI, to explore the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human insight. Through the lens of both her corporate work and humanitarian efforts as founder of Baal Dan Charities, Tanya shares valuable perspectives on maintaining empat...